Sloppy start leaves Woods well back at AT&T National

Title defense unlikely with Woods at 3-over par after three rounds.

July 03, 2010|By Mark Wogenrich, OF THE MORNING CALL

NEWTOWN SQUARE -- Tiger Woods anticipated that shooting a 63 or 64 would put him "right back in the ballgame" Saturday at the AT&T National. Though he found some positives in an even-par 70 that kept him stalled at 3-over par for the tournament, Woods could not get past his off-kilter start.

Woods bogeyed the opening two holes and three of his first six in a round that essentially eliminated him from defending his 2009 title. Woods will begin Sunday's final round among the morning groups, hoping to post a few gains in preparation for the British Open in two weeks.

"I felt if I could shoot 64 or 63, I could get right back in the ballgame," Woods said. "Especially since these pins were so difficult today. I thought the leaders weren't going to go run off and hide. It was going to be a tough day for the guys to really shoot a low number, and I thought that would put me at least in the top 10."

But Woods' day took a poor early turn with bogeys at the first two holes. He hit a tentative approach and chip at the first green, coming up short on both, and three-putted at No. 2, missing a 3-footer for par.

At No. 6 Woods hit one of his worst shots of the week, chunking a sand wedge from just 45 yards in front of the green. The ensuing bogey left him at 3-over through six holes and tied for last in the event at that point.

"That was awful, wasn't it?" Woods said of the approach shot to No. 6. "That was just awful. I was trying to hit a low ball in there, trying to scoot it up that hill, and I was not committed to where I was going to land it. Lack of commitment, and I ended up hitting the ball fat."

Woods regrouped with birdies at 6, 11 and 13 to return to even for the day. He closed with another birdie and bogey to shoot even par for the second consecutive day.

"I'm getting better," Woods said. "The feel is getting better. I feel more comfortable with what I'm working on, and I'm just going out there and playing in a competitive because it's so much more comfortable than it was at the beginning of the year."